9/11: symbol of infamy and terrorism

Today is exactly the sixteenth anniversary of the infamous terroristic attack at the World Trade Center, America's erstwhile symbol of world economic dominance, and the Pentagon, America's iconic symbol of global military supremacy.

The fourth plane was supposedly intended to hit the White House, the US seat of power and symbol of international supremacy, but it was foiled by four heroic Americans who fought with the terrorists and frustrated what could have been the complete victory of Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda. That a worst terror attack left no less than 2,997 killed, and more than six thousand injured, many very seriously, and inflicted more than ten billion US dollars damages and losses to infrastructures and properties.

I was in my office as vice president of an American soft drinks company, Philippine operations, and it was 8:45AM Eastern time in New York, when I opened the TV and started to watch a flash report by CNN. I saw how an American Airline Boeing 767 (which I came to know later as being loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel) purposely crashed into the north of the twin tower. The thundering impact caused instant pandemonium and many of the employees who were already in their offices were seen jumping out of the 110 floor edifice. Some 18 minutes later, another Boeng 767 of the United Airlines slammed itself at the 60th floor of the south tower. The second plane was on its Flight 175 causing massive explosions and started a conflagration. My God, I had some relatives and town mates working in those two buildings.

In no time at all, a third plane, an American Airline Boeng 757 also hit the west side of the Pentagon causing the death of 189 people including 64 passengers on board, and 145 military personnel and civilian employees, and massive destruction. Then a fourth plane which had just taken off from the Newark airport and bound for California was hijacked by terrorists who were co-conspirators in those cleverlyplanned terror attacks. But four passengers led by one Thomas Burnett Jr. staged a spirited defense and had physical fight with the terrorists causing the plane to crash in Pensylvania, killing all 45 passengers and crew together with the attackers.

Of the 2,763 who died in the Twin Towers attack, 343 were firefighters, 23 were New York police officers and 37 ports authority officers. President George W. Bush, who was then in Florida, rushed to the White House. From the Oval Office, he addressed the whole America and the world: "Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve." On May 2, 2011 or ten years later, President Barrack Obama announced that Osama Binn laden was found and killed by American forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Justice was delivered. But terrorism continues.

Let all the terrorists be forewarned that they too shall be found and justice will always be served. Mark my word.